Prompt

Prompt is a cue or input that initiates a response or action within a computer system or human-computer interaction. It can be a request for data, a command line awaiting input, or a question posed by an application to the user. In natural language processing and artificial intelligence, a prompt is the text or instructions used to elicit a response from a model.

In command-line interfaces and graphical prompts, the prompt is the symbol and text that indicate readiness to receive input, such as a shell prompt (for example, a dollar sign in Unix-like systems) or a Windows-style C:\>. Prompts can also appear in dialog boxes that request user information, such as "Enter your name:".

AI and language models use prompts to steer outputs. A prompt can include a direct instruction, a question, or context, and may combine multiple parts: system prompts that define model behavior, user prompts with questions, and sometimes example demonstrations known as few-shot prompts. Advanced practices, known as prompt engineering, design prompts to improve accuracy, steer style, or reduce unwanted outputs. Techniques include few-shot exemplars, chain-of-thought prompts that encourage step-by-step reasoning, and prompts that specify constraints.

Security and reliability concerns exist around prompting. Prompt injection is a class of attacks in which adversaries craft inputs to alter model behavior. Models may also reveal hidden prompts or system messages if prompts are not properly isolated. The concept of prompting has historical roots in early interactive systems and has broadened with the rise of large language models.